Interference of interference effects

TL;DR

This paper explores how different quantum interference effects in a complex optical setup interact and partially cancel, providing insights into the fundamental nature of quantum interference and its measurement-dependent behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a novel analysis of overlapping interference effects in a combined Mach-Zehnder interferometer setup, illustrating the nontrivial interplay of quantum phenomena.

Findings

Interference effects can partially cancel each other in combined setups

Quantum interference depends critically on measurement context

The setup provides a pedagogical tool for understanding quantum effects

Abstract

We analyze the interference of individual photons in a linear-optical setup comprised of two overlapping Mach-Zehnder interferometers joined via a common beam splitter. We show how, in this setup, two kinds of standard interference effects -- namely, single-photon Mach-Zehnder interference and two-photon Hong-Ou-Mandel interference -- interfere with one another, partially canceling each other out. This new perspective, along with the overall pedagogical exposition of this work, is intended as an intuitive illustration of why quantum effects can combine nontrivially and, moreover, of the fundamental notion that quantum interference happens at measurement. This work can serve as a bridge to more advanced quantum mechanical concepts. For instance, analyses of this setup in terms of entanglement have a rich history and can be used to test the predictions of quantum mechanics versus local realism (e.g., as in Hardy's Paradox).